U.S. patent number 5,442,513 [Application Number 08/198,304] was granted by the patent office on 1995-08-15 for hard disk drive and casing slidably received within frame having double-swinging door and lock.
Invention is credited to Hsin Y. Lo.
United States Patent |
5,442,513 |
Lo |
August 15, 1995 |
Hard disk drive and casing slidably received within frame having
double-swinging door and lock
Abstract
A hard disk/drive includes an open base frame fastened to the
hard disk/drive slot of a computer and having a double-swinging
door, which closes the hard disk/drive slot, and a lock device in
front of the double-swinging door at one side, a sliding frame made
to slide in the open base frame, and a casing fastened to the
sliding frame on the inside, wherein when the sliding frame is
inserted into the open base frame, the double-swinging door is
opened for permitting the sliding frame and the casing to be
received inside the open base frame, and the lock device
automatically locks the sliding frame inside the open base frame.
When the lock device is unlocked and the casing is moved out of the
open base frame by the sliding frame, the double-swinging door
closes the hard disk/drive slot again.
Inventors: |
Lo; Hsin Y. (Taoyuan Hsien,
TW) |
Family
ID: |
22732818 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/198,304 |
Filed: |
February 18, 1994 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
361/679.35;
361/679.39; 361/727; 361/759; G9B/33.005; G9B/33.03 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G11B
33/027 (20130101); G11B 33/124 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G11B
33/12 (20060101); G11B 33/02 (20060101); G06F
001/16 (); H95K 007/10 () |
Field of
Search: |
;364/708.1 ;360/137
;439/928,137,138 ;361/683-685,724-727,740,747,759,756,801
;312/223.2 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Phillips; Michael W.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Browdy and Neimark
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A hard disk drive comprising:
a base frame fastenable in a hard disk drive slot of a mainframe of
a computer, said base frame comprising a longitudinal opening, a
double-swinging door to close the hard disk drive slot, two sets of
vertically spaced horizontal blocks disposed at two opposite sides
and respectively projecting into said longitudinal opening and
defining two opposite sliding ways, a lock hole disposed at one
side of said double-swinging door;
a casing received inside said base frame within said longitudinal
opening, said casing comprising a holding chamber for loading the
electric circuit assembly of the hard disk drive from the top, two
horizontal guide grooves longitudinally disposed on two opposite
long sides thereof, a plurality of first retaining holes
respectively disposed on the two opposite long sides at the top, a
plurality of through holes respectively made through each sliding
groove, a plurality of second retaining holes disposed on the two
opposite long sides at the bottom, a track longitudinally disposed
at one side, and a tension spring received in said track and having
one end fastened to a hook in said track;
a sliding frame connected to said casing and adapted to slide in
said sliding ways of said base frame, said sliding frame comprising
a front panel, a first slide bar and a second slide bar
perpendicularly extending from two opposite ends of said front
panel in the same direction, said first and second side bars being
respectively inserted into the guide grooves on said casing and
movably connected to the trough holes in the guide grooves on said
casing by pins, said second side bar having a hook on the side
connected to the opposite end of the tension spring being received
in said track of said casing, and a guide groove on the
outside;
a top cover covered over said casing at the top, having a plurality
of raised portions spaced at two opposite sides and respectively
engaged into the first retaining holes on said casing;
a bottom cover covered over said casing at the bottom, having a
plurality of raised portions spaced at two opposite sides and
respectively engaged into the second retaining holes on said
casing;
a lock device supported on a spring and retained in the lock hole
on said base frame by a spring plate, having a side lock bolt for
locking said sliding frame inside said base frame; and
wherein when said sliding frame is inserted into the sliding ways
of said base frame and supported between said horizontal blocks of
said base frame, said double-swinging door is opened and received
in the sliding ways of said base frame, and the lock bolt of said
lock device is guided into the guide groove on said second side bar
of said sliding frame to lock said sliding frame inside said base
frame; when said lock device is turned by a key to release said
lock bolt from the guide groove on said second side bar of said
sliding frame, the spring in said track of said casing gives an
outward pressure to said sliding frame causing said sliding frame
to be ejected out of said base frame.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an improved structure of hard
disk/drive which can be conveniently removed from the mainframe of
the computer for a replacement or repair work without dismantling
the shell of the mainframe.
The hard disk/drive in a personal computer is generally fixed on
the inside. When removing the hard disk/drive from the computer,
the shell of the mainframe of the computer must be dismantled.
Nowadays, various sliding box type hard disk/drives have been
disclosed. Exemplars of these sliding box type hard disk/drives are
seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,233,594; 930,803; 4,982,303; 910,101; Des.
308,502; 900,522; 311,737 901,030. These sliding box type hard
disk/drives are made to slide in and out of the mainframe of the
computer, and therefore they can be conveniently removed from the
hard disk/drive slot on the front side of the mainframe of the
computer for a replacement or repair work. However, the hard
disk/drive slot on the front side of the mainframe will be left
open when the hard disk/drive is removed, and dust may enter the
mainframe and cover on the parts or the electric circuit of the
computer. Another drawback of these conventional sliding box type
hard disk/drives is that they may displace after long use causing
reading errors.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to provide an improved structure
of hard disk/drive which eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.
According to one aspect of the present invention, the hard
disk/drive comprises an open base frame fastened to the hard
disk/drive slot of a computer and having a double-swinging door,
which closes the hard disk/drive slot, and a lock device in front
of the double-swinging door at one side, a sliding frame made to
slide in the open base frame, and a casing fastened to the sliding
frame on the inside, wherein when the sliding frame is inserted
into the open base frame, the double-swinging door is opened for
permitting the sliding frame and the casing to be received inside
the open base frame, and the lock device automatically locks the
sliding frame inside the open base frame; when the lock device is
unlocked and the casing is moved out of the open base frame by the
sliding frame, the double-swinging door closes the hard disk/drive
slot again to prohibit dust from entering the computer. According
to another aspect of the present invention, horizontal blocks are
made on the open base frame at two opposite sides at different
elevations which permits the sliding frame 3 move stably in course
when the sliding frame 3 is inserted into or removed out of the
open base frame .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a hard disk/drive according to the
preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the hard disk/drive shown in FIG.
1;
FIG. 2A is an enlarged view of circled area A of FIG. 2.
FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of a cross-section through circled area
B of FIG. 2.
FIG. 2C is an enlarged view of circled area C of FIG. 2.
FIG. 2D an enlarged view of circled area D of FIG. 2.
FIG. 2E is an enlarged view of circled area E of FIG. 2.
FIG. 2F is an enlarged view of circled area F of FIG. 2.
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the hard disk/drive shown in
FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 a top plan view of the hard disk/drive shown in FIG. 1,
showing the sliding frame locked inside the base frame by the lock
device;
FIG. 4A is a side elevation view of the device of FIG. 4;
FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4, but showing the lock device
unlocked;
FIG. 5A is a side elevation view of the device of FIG. 5;
FIG. 6 is another top plan view of the hard disk/drive shown in
FIG. 1, showing the double-swinging door opened;
FIG. 6A is a side elevation view of the device of FIG. 6;
FIG. 7 is another top plan view of the hard disk/drive shown in
FIG. 1, showing the double-swinging door closed; and
FIG. 7A is a side elevation view of the device of FIG. 7;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the hard disk/drive of FIG. 1
installed in the mainframe.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 2A-2F, the hard disk/drive of the
preferred embodiment of the present invention is generally
comprised of a base frame 1, a casing 2, a sliding frame 3, a top
cover 4, a bottom cover 5, a double-swinging door 6, and a lock
device 7.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4 and FIGS. 1, 2 and 2A-2F; again, the
base frame 1 comprises a longitudinal opening 13, which receives
the casing 2 and the sliding frame 3, two sets of vertically spaced
horizontal blocks 12 disposed at two opposite sides and
respectively projecting into the longitudinal opening 13, two
sliding ways 11 longitudinally disposed at two opposite sides
between either set of vertically spaced horizontal blocks 12, two
barrels 112 respectively disposed in front of either sliding way
11, a lock hole 111 disposed in front of one barrel 112, and a hook
113 disposed inside the lock hole 111. The casing 2 comprises a
holding chamber 21 for loading the electric circuit assembly of the
hard disk/drive from the top, two horizontal guide grooves 23
longitudinally disposed on two opposite long sides thereof, a
plurality of first retaining holes 22 respectively disposed on the
two opposite long sides at the top and communicating with either
guide groove 23, a plurality of through holes 27 respectively made
through either sliding groove 23, a plurality of second retaining
holes 24 disposed on the two opposite long sides at the bottom, a
track 25 longitudinally disposed at one side, a tension spring 26
received in the track 25 and having one end fastened to a hook 251
(FIG. 2C) in the track 25 and an opposite end connected to the
sliding frame 3. The sliding frame 3 comprises a front panel 33 and
two side bars 31;32 perpendicularly extended from two opposite ends
of the front panel 33 in the same direction. The side bars 31;32 of
the sliding frame 3 are respectively inserted into the guide
grooves 23 on the casing 2 and then fastened to the through holes
27 by pins 34. One side bar 32 has a hook 321 (FIG. 2F) on the
side, to which the tension spring 26 is connected, and a guide
groove 322 (FIG. 3) on the outside. The top cover 4 is covered over
the casing 2 at the top, having a plurality of raised portions 41
(FIG. 2A) spaced at two opposite sides and respectively engaged
into the first retaining holes 22. The bottom cover 5 is covered
over the casing 2 at the bottom, having a plurality of raised
portions 51 (FIG. 2D) spaced at two opposite sides and respectively
engaged into the second retaining holes 24. The double-swinging
door 6 is comprised of two door panels 6a, each door panel 6a
having two vertically spaced pivot pins 61 respectively fastened to
either barrel 112 (FIG. 2B) and being actuated by a respective
spring 62. The spring 62 is mounted around either pivot pin 61,
having one end stopped against the inside wall of the respective
door panel 6a and an opposite end stopped against the base frame 1.
Therefore, the spring 62 gives an outward pressure to the
respective door panel 6a. The lock device 7 is mounted with a
spring 73 and retained in the lock hole 111 on the base frame 1 by
a spring plate 72, having a side lock bolt 71 for locking the
sliding frame 3 inside the base frame 1. The spring 73 has one end
fastened to the lock device 7 and an opposite end fastened to the
hook 113 (FIG. 2E). Furthermore, one door panel 6a has an oblong
hole 63 at a suitable location for allowing the lock bolt 71 of the
lock device 7 to be moved freely.
Referring to FIGS. 2, 2A-2F, 3, 7 and 8 and FIGS. 5 and 6 again,
when the two side bars 31 of the sliding frame 3 are inserted into
the sliding ways 11, the two door panels 6a of the double-swinging
door 6 are respectively turned to the two opposite sides of the
base frame 1, and the lock bolt 71 of the lock device 7 is guided
into the guide groove 322 (FIG. 3) to lock the sliding frame 3 in
position. When a key is inserted into the lock device 7 and turned
counter-clockwise, the lock bolt 71 is moved downward and
disconnected from the guide groove 322, causing the sliding frame 3
to be ejected out of the base frame 1 (by means of the effect of
the tension spring 26), and therefore the casing 2 can be removed
from the base frame 1 by the sliding frame 3. When the sliding
frame 3 is moved back into the longitudinal opening 13 of the base
frame 1, the spring 73 returns to its former shape causing the lock
bolt 71 to be engaged into the guide groove 322 again.
* * * * *